5-Night Walk Denali National Park Adventure Tour

• Airfare
• Airport transfers, taxes and excess baggage charges
• Travel insurance (mandatory and must be taken out at the time of booking)
• Optional activities and all personal expenses

• This is a walking trip. Please carefully read the description of all walks. A good level of fitness is desirable to fully enjoy all included hikes. Be sure to bring appropriate gear: good walking boots, rain gear and warm clothing.
• This trip starts on Day 1 at 10 am in Anchorage and travels to Seward after the welcome meeting. If you are at risk of being late, please consider arriving a day earlier and staying in Anchorage before the tour begins.
• Just as a heads up before you book: this trip is new to their range this year. And while they have thoroughly researched every detail of the logistics, new destinations can sometimes present some unexpected surprises. More often than not, it’ll be a great surprise. But every now and again there might be a hiccup. Intrepid likes to think that’s what puts the ‘adventure’ in ‘adventure travel’.

These are not point-to-point walking trips, therefore one can opt out from any walk if you wish to. Walks are not technical, anyone with a fair level of fitness is able to complete them.

The walking on this trip is over easy to moderate terrain and distances covered can vary from 5 to 20 km (please check day descriptions for details). Some of the walks are circular but some can be out-and-back walks. Be prepared for daily ascents and descents, sometimes with short, steep sections. Terrain can be rocky with loose gravel, or with roots, which may become slippery when wet. This tour is ideal for nature lovers and the guides set an even pace, providing time to take photos and to appreciate the beautiful surroundings.

All travelers need to be in good physical health in order to participate fully on this trip. When selecting your trip please make sure you have read through the itinerary carefully and assess your ability to manage and enjoy this style of travel. Please note that if in the opinion of their group leader or local guide, any traveler is unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and/or the rest of the group, Intrepid reserves the right to exclude them from all or part of a trip without refund.

You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information or for any necessary vaccinations before departure. We recommend that you carry a first aid kit as well as any personal medical requirements as they may not easily be obtained while traveling.

Please check entry requirements for the destinations you are traveling to carefully to know whether you require a negative COVID-19 test before traveling. If you are unwell prior to traveling, please stay at home and contact us to make alternative arrangements. At the group meeting, you will be asked to complete a self-screening health form and report any COVID-19 symptoms as well as any close contact with someone who has suspected or confirmed COVID-19. If you are displaying any symptoms or have any health concerns at this time, the advice of local health authorities will be followed to determine whether medical assistance, isolation or further action is required. They ask all travelers to continue to monitor their health throughout their travels and report any relevant symptoms to their tour leader.

If you're happy with the service you receive, providing a tip—though not compulsory—is appropriate. While it may not be customary to you, it's of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels, inspires excellent service and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many Intrepid destinations. Please note we recommend that any tips are given directly to the intended recipient by a member of your group as their group leaders are prohibited from collecting cash for tips.

The following amounts are based on local considerations and feedback from past travelers:

Restaurants: They suggest 18% to 22% of your bill.

Bars: Recommended US$1 for each drink ordered to ensure you are served again.

Local guides: Throughout your trip, you may at times have a local guide in addition to your leader. We suggest US$5-20 per day for local guides. Ask your leader for suggestions as to what is appropriate for a given activity.

Your Group Leader: You should also consider tipping your leader for outstanding service throughout your trip. Your leader works long and hard for you. He or she may well become your friend during the trip but they do need to pay their bills. If the leader's performance meets or exceeds your expectation they will gladly accept a tip from you. The amount is entirely a personal preference; however, you should plan to tip your leader US$7-10 per person per day.

While traveling with Intrepid, you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule, their groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company.

Your group leader will endeavor to cater to specific dietary requirements where possible, and vegetarianism and gluten intolerance will be catered to in most instances. There may be some meals and activities that are fixed in advance and therefore cannot be modified to suit dietary requirements. Please notify your group leader of any dietary requirements in your group meeting at the start of the trip.

For those who suffer from particular food allergies, your group leader will endeavor to disclose to their fullest knowledge the main ingredients in dishes being consumed. It is, however, your personal responsibility to ensure that you do not ingest any foods to which you are allergic.

Your leader will provide basic information about the sights and cities you'll be visiting but please note that their leaders are not 'tour guides' in the traditional sense. They are adventure travel specialists and are there to organize your trip, arrange activities and help with questions or problems you may have while on your tour. Your leader will provide you with all the important information you need to embark on your own explorations.

They are also responsible for driving the van and navigating across the country. The allowable driving times for drivers are strictly controlled in North America. This ensures their drivers are well-rested and are not over-tired from too many hours on the roads.

While your group will have a minivan for all included activities on the trip, please note that the services of the van and the driver may not be available for your use during free time, or after you have arrived for the day. If you need a special trip into town you may need to arrange transport or a taxi.

They endeavor to provide the services of an experienced leader however, situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders.

It's strictly forbidden for non-qualified rangers to present any information about some National Parks in North America, therefore they adopt a system (as requested by the park rangers) where their leader will encourage travelers to visit the information centers in the National Parks for details about the site. 

All group trips are accompanied by one of their group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavors to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders.

Your leader will provide information on the places you are traveling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to their local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At Intrepid, they aim to support local guides who have specialized knowledge of the regions you'll visit. If you were interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location, then your leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

LUGGAGE RESTRICTIONS

All luggage is carried in trailers or inside the vehicle so please don't bring more than one medium-sized bag, backpack or suitcase (44 lb or 20 kg maximum) per person. Your suitcase/rucksack may get some rough handling, so make sure it's a tough one. A small daypack and camera may also be carried inside the vehicle.

As well as your underwear, toothbrush and other items you always need to pack for travel, below are some items that you specifically need for this trip.

MAIN LUGGAGE

You need to bring your main piece of luggage as well as a small to medium backpack for day activities (5-6.5 gallons or 20-25 liters). One with a waist strap would be most comfortable for all included walks as you’re not expected to carry your luggage during any of the walks. Only a day pack (highly recommended to bring one!) with essentials.

ESSENTIALS

• Day pack: for carrying essentials during activities
• Trekking clothing: A mixture covering lightweight clothing and some warm layers is recommended. Your activities will take place in the mountains where weather may change quickly. Lightweight, comfortable, and quick-drying clothes for the activities are best. Laundry facilities may not be available on a daily basis, so make sure you have a few cycles of clothes.
• Light jacket, fleece and base layers
• Wind and waterproof jacket
• Hiking boots with good grip, ankle support and waterproof membrane that are comfortable to walk for an entire day
• Water bottle: you will need water during activities and it’s best to avoid buying unnecessary plastic.
• Sun protection: sunscreen, sunglasses
• Toiletries

RECOMMENDED

• Personal medical kit. A larger kit will be on hand with your leader, but we recommend you carry items such as mild pain killers, antihistamine tablets and any personal medication you may need
• Walking poles for longer walks and uneven terrain
• Torch/flashlight/headtorch
• Camera with spare batteries/power bank: You will have access to power to recharge your electrical items daily
• Travel eco-friendly wipes/hand sanitizer

OPTIONAL

• Ear plugs & eye mask
• Swimwear
• A good book, a journal and music player

VALUABLES

Please try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables. It’s also recommended to bring a copy of all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, etc. and keep the copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a photocopy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary.

If you need some further tips for packing, you can always check out our ultimate packing list.

WATER BOTTLE

Please bring your own water bottle to refill along the way. The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1-liter plastic bottle takes 2 liters of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfills or discarded in waterways and natural environments.